Harvester

Abstract

A harvester having a frame, an agitating system and a product gathering system. The frame has a central portion configured to receive and pass plants therethrough. The agitating system is positioned within the central portion that has a first side agitating assembly further comprising an axle with an axis of rotation and a plural of axial wands extending axially outwardly therefrom in a spaced apart configuration. The axle has a first end which is both above and outboard of the second end and the axle is angled relative to a vertical plane bisecting the frame body from front to back thereof. The axial wands can be agitated. The product gathering system includes an outer guide wall positioned below the rotary agitator assembly. The outer guide wall is angled relative to a vertical plane bisecting the frame body from front to back thereof.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A harvester comprising:
 a frame having a frame body defining a front, back, top, bottom, a first side and a second side, defining an elongated and downwardly open central opening, configured to allow for the passage of a plant from the front to the back therethrough; 
 an agitating system mounted to the frame, with at least a portion thereof being within the central channel of the frame, the agitating system having at least a first side agitating assembly further comprising:
 a rotary agitator subassembly, the rotary agitator subassembly having an axle with an axis of rotation and a plurality of axial wands extending axially outwardly therefrom in a spaced apart configuration, with the rotary agitator assembly being positioned in at least a first operating position, wherein the axle has a first end and a second end, with the first end being both above and outboard of the second end, so that the axle is angled relative to a vertical plane bisecting the frame body from front to back thereof, with the axle being rotatable about the axis; and 
 a powering subassembly, the powering subassembly including an agitation member which is configured to agitate the axial wands; and 
 
 a product gathering system including an outer guide wall positioned below the rotary agitator assembly, the outer guide wall having an upper end and a lower end, with the upper end being above and outboard of the lower end, so that the outer guide wall is angled relative to a vertical plane bisecting the frame body from front to back thereof. 
 
     
     
       2. The harvester of  claim 1  further comprising a plant directing system comprising:
 a gathering portion, the gathering portion including an inner guide frame outboard of the axle and spaced apart therefrom, with at least a plurality of the axial wands extending therethrough, with the inner guide frame directing a plant away from the axle and through at least a plurality of the axial wands. 
 
     
     
       3. The harvester of  claim 2  wherein the inner guide frame further includes an initial portion, a maintaining portion and an exit portion, the initial portion directing a portion of a plant outwardly and downwardly, the maintaining portion directing the plant through at least a plurality of the axial wands, and an exit portion directing the plant inwardly and upwardly. 
     
     
       4. The harvester of  claim 2  wherein the inner guide frame comprises a plurality of spaced apart rod members extending at least partially between the front and back of the frame body, wherein at least a plurality of the axial wands extend between or otherwise around and beyond the rod members. 
     
     
       5. The harvester of  claim 4  wherein the rod members of the inner guide frame are spaced apart from each other and spaced apart from the plurality of axial wands. 
     
     
       6. The harvester of  claim 2  wherein the gathering portion further comprises:
 an outer frame guide outboard of the inner frame guide and spaced apart therefrom so as to direct at least a portion of the plant therebetween, wherein at least a plurality of the axial wands extend at least one of proximate and beyond the outer guide frame. 
 
     
     
       7. The harvester of  claim 6  wherein the outer frame guide further includes a plurality of spaced apart rod members extending at least partially between the front and back of the frame body. 
     
     
       8. The harvester of  claim 7  wherein the rod members are spaced apart from each other and spaced apart from the plurality of axial wands. 
     
     
       9. The harvester of  claim 1  wherein the first side agitating assembly is further positionable in a second operating position, wherein in the second operating position, the axle of the rotary agitator assembly is at an angle that is shallower than that of the first operating position. 
     
     
       10. The harvester of  claim 9  wherein in the second operating position, the axle of the rotary agitator assembly is substantially vertical. 
     
     
       11. The harvester of  claim 10  wherein the first side agitating assembly further includes an orienting subassembly structurally configured to facilitate orientation of the rotary agitator subassembly between the first operating position and the second operating position. 
     
     
       12. The harvester of  claim 11  wherein the orienting subassembly further includes an upper mount assembly including opposing guide channels with corresponding channel engaging pin members disposed proximate a first end of the rotary agitator subassembly, the opposing guide channels extending between the first operating position and the second operating position, and configured to direct the first end of the rotary agitator subassembly between the first operating position and the second operating position. 
     
     
       13. The harvester of  claim 12  wherein the orienting subassembly further includes a lower mount assembly including a first position lower mount frame and a second position lower mount frame, wherein a second end of the rotary agitator subassembly is attachable to the first position lower mount frame when in the first operating position, and attachable to the second position lower mount frame when in the second operating position. 
     
     
       14. A harvester comprising:
 a frame having a frame body defining a front, back, top, bottom, a first side and a second side, defining an elongated and downwardly open central opening, configured to allow for the passage of a plant from the front to the back therethrough; 
 an agitating system mounted to the frame, with at least a portion thereof being within the central channel of the frame, the agitating system having a first side agitating assembly and a second side agitating assembly, positioned in a spaced apart side by side configuration, each of the first side agitating assembly and the second side agitating assembly further comprising:
 a rotary agitator subassembly, the rotary agitator subassembly having an axle with an axis of rotation and a plurality of axial wands extending axially outwardly therefrom in a spaced apart configuration, with the rotary agitator assembly being positioned in at least a first operating position, wherein the axle has a first end and a second end, with the first end being both above and outboard of the second end, so that the axle is angled relative to a vertical plane bisecting the frame body from front to back thereof, with the axle being rotatable about the axis; and 
 a powering subassembly, the powering subassembly including an agitation member which is configured to agitate the axial wands; and 
 
 a product gathering system including a first side outer guide wall and a second side outer guide wall, the first side outer guide wall positioned below the rotary agitator assembly of the first side agitating assembly, the first side outer guide wall having an upper end and a lower end, with the upper end being above and outboard of the lower end, so that the first side outer guide wall is angled relative to a vertical plane bisecting the frame body from front to back thereof, the second side guide wall positioned below the rotary agitator assembly of the second side agitating assembly, the second side outer guide wall having an upper end and a lower end, with the upper end being above and outboard of the lower end, so that the second side outer guide wall is angled relative to a vertical plane bisecting the frame body from front to back thereof. 
 
     
     
       15. The harvester of  claim 14  further comprising a plant directing system comprising an inlet portion positioned within the central opening and proximate the front of the frame body, the inlet portion including a central separator portion spaced apart from the bottom of the frame body and configured to separate a plant into a first side and a second side. 
     
     
       16. The harvester of  claim 15  wherein the central separator portion extends between the first side agitating assembly and the second side agitating assembly, the central separator portion including an arcuate portion that is outwardly convex so as to direct a plant in an outward and upward direction. 
     
     
       17. The harvester of  claim 15  wherein the plant directing system further comprises a gathering portion including a first side inner guide frame and a second side inner guide frame,
 wherein the first side inner guide frame further includes a first end extending from the central separator portion and directed outwardly so as to extend outboard of the axle of the rotary agitator subassembly of the first side agitating assembly while having a portion of at least a plurality of axial wands extending therebeyond; and 
 wherein the second side inner guide frame further includes a first end extending from the central separator portion and directed outwardly so as to extend outboard of the axle of the rotary agitator subassembly of the second side agitating assembly while having a portion of at least a plurality of axial wands extending therebeyond. 
 
     
     
       18. The harvester of  claim 17  wherein the gathering portion further includes a first side outer guide frame and a second side outer guide frame,
 wherein the first side outer guide frame is positioned outboard of the first side inner guide frame so as to define a region therebetween, with the axial wands of the first side agitating assembly extending thereinto, and 
 wherein the second side outer guide frame is positioned outboard of the second side inner guide frame so as to define a region therebetween, with the axial wands of the second side agitating assembly extending thereinto. 
 
     
     
       19. The harvester of  claim 17  wherein the harvester is substantially symmetrical about the vertical plane bisecting the frame body from front to back, which vertical plane extends through the central separator portion. 
     
     
       20. The harvester of  claim 14  wherein the product gathering system further includes at least one conveyor extending between the front and the back of the frame and positioned so that the lower end of at least one of the first side outer guide wall and the second side outer guide wall directs a product therefrom onto the conveyor.